By Rebekah Eastep, Senior Environmental Education Planner
Every day, the choices we make shape our environmental footprint. Do you refill a reusable water bottle or buy a disposable one on the go? Pick the eggs in the cardboard carton or one made of plastic foam? Shop secondhand or rely on two-day shipping for something new? These small decisions add up—and they matter.
This America Recycles Day, November 15, let’s all take a fresh look at how we reduce waste and recycle right. Because while recycling remains important, it’s only one piece of a bigger picture.
Over the past several years, recycling has become more complicated. Changes in global markets, limited landfill space, contamination challenges, and supply chain disruptions have forced recycling programs nationwide to adapt – Hampton Roads included. As a result, some localities have changed how materials are collected and processed. The Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) recently announced plans for a new waste management system that will allow some residents to place trash and recyclables in a single container, with AI technology doing the sorting.
We recognize that these shifts in programs can cause confusion, and that’s understandable. But the takeaway is empowering: recycling is still valuable and so are the choices we make long before materials ever reach the bin. The most effective way to reduce our environmental impact is to prevent waste in the first place. That can mean using reusable items instead of disposable ones, choosing products with less packaging, repairing instead of replacing, and buying secondhand whenever possible. When something does need to be thrown away, putting it in the proper waste stream – trash, recycling, compost, donation, or hazardous waste drop-off – helps ensure its handled responsibly.
This America Recycles Day, remember:
- Reduce first.
- Reuse when you can.
- Recycle right.
Recycling will always be an important component of our waste management system, but smart, intentional choices make the biggest difference of all. Together, we can shrink our waste footprint and create a cleaner, greener Hampton Roads for generations to come.